Instituto whips Systema in title duel preview

MANILA, Philippines - Instituto Estetico Manila downed Systema Tooth and Gum Care, 25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21, last night in a sneak preview of the men’s finals of the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 Third Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

Jason Canlas led all spikers with 16 hits, 13 coming off kills, two on service aces and one on block as the Volley Masters annexed their fifth win in six outings and topped the elimination round of Shakey’s first ever men’s tournament after 11 seasons.

Jeffrey Jimenez and Karl Ian dela Calzada chipped in 14 and 11 hits, respectively, for the win that should give Instituto enough confidence entering its best-of-three title showdown with Systema starting on Sunday.

“We didn’t consider this match as non-bearing,” said Instituto coach Ernesto Balubar in Filipino.

“In fact, we treated it seriously because we want to gain some confidence out of this entering the finals where we will again face them,” he added.

Instituto thus swept Systema in two games in the elims after the former rallied from 1-2  down in their first meeting on Oct. 5 to edge the latter in five gruelling sets with the troika of Canlas, Dela Calzada and Jimenez doing most of the damage.

Canlas, Dela Calzada and Jimenez were at it again.

Angelo Espiritu, Salvador Depante and Sylvester Honrade scattered 12, 11 and 11, respectively, to lead the Active Smashers, particularly in the second set where they levelled the game at 1-1.

However, Canlas, Jimenez and Dela Calzada teamed up to bury Systema under an avalanche of shots that helped Instituto regain its opening set form and take the last two sets that sealed it for good.